Mathura clashes: Senior police officers among 24 dead

The police said that 360 people have been arrested in connection with the clashes that triggered after 3,000 encroachments were evicted.

Atleast 21 people, including two policemen were confirmed dead after clashes erupted in Mathura in Uttar Pradesh.Twitter/BhushanPaneri

Update: 4:30 p.m. IST — Uttar CM Akhilesh Yadav admits to mistakes in dealing with the armed protestors in Mathura. "The chook (mistake) has happened, the mistake was the police went without full preparation. There was so much danger involved. No one knew how many explosives were inside" (the illegally occupied park)," NDTV quoted him as saying.

Update: 2:25 p.m. IST— Death toll climbs to 24, which includes the two policemen, the Hindustan Times reports.

The channel also reported that the Uttar Pradesh police have arrested over 360 people. Quoting police sources, it said that fire caused by a gas cylinder explosion could have resulted in the death of civilians.

Update: 11:11 a.m. IST — Akhilesh Yadav, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, announces compensation of Rs. 20 lakh each for the two policemen killed in the Mathura incident, as tweeted by his office.

Update: 9:28 a.m. IST — At least 21 people have been confirmed dead in the Mathura clashes.

Original Story —

As many as 14 people died in mob violence during an operation to clear government land in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh, on Thursday. The dead include two senior police officers, while more than 40 people were injured.

The clashes broke out after the police launched an operation to evict members of local cult 'Azad Bharat Vidhik Vaicharik Kranti Satyagrahi' from hundreds of acres of government land.

Mathura superintendent of police Mukul Dwivedi and Farah police station officer Santosh Yadav died from gunshot wounds and injuries sustained in violence.

Hindi film actress and BJP politician Hema Malini is the Lok Sabha MP from Mathura.

The fight broke out when the local police were trying to evict illegal occupants of a land in Jawahar Bagh, which was held by activists believed to be of Azad Bharat Vidhik Vaicharik Kranti Satyagrahi. The police were directed to get the area cleared by the Allahabad High Court.

About 3,000 encroachers were believed to have pelted stones and opened fired on the police team as they approached the area, HR Sharma, IG (Law and Order) told the daily.